“LION GUARDS” pilot project

4 lion guards salaris, 4 tents, 2 torches sponsored

1 laptop donated to Sesfontein Conservancy for lion follow up through satellite collar on desertlion.info

This year’s very poor rainfall in the west of Kunene Region has dramatically increased the potential for conflict between stockowners and lions in conservancies

The immediate problems are at Elephantsong in the Hoanib valley and in the Gomatum valley near Purros.

The only areas that still contain some grazing are in these areas of high potential conflict. People have no choice but to take their livestock into these two areas. After much discussion, it was decided to assist the communities by providing several paid lion guards at these sites. Their duties would be to monitor the lions in these areas and to serve as early warning. This is seen as a short term venture and will be evaluated after six months. It is likely that some rain will have fallen by then and the situation will have changed.

TOSCO in partnership with the IRDNC, Desert Lion Conservation and the concerned Conservancies financed financed the salaries of the first “lion guards” salaries and equipped them with tents and torches. The TOU trust also participated to the funding.